novelraw Chapter 207 : Beast’s One Path
Chapter 207 : Beast’s One Path
Chapter 207: Beast’s One Path
The office was briefly engulfed in silence.
Everyone wore dazed expressions, as if they had been struck on the head, unable to comprehend the twisted tastes of a stalker that were difficult to understand in a sober state.
‘Even the Idol of the Central Plains sure has it rough.’
Without a word, I covered the white cloth on the table again.
I had handled many stalker cases while working as a troubleshooter, but this type of culprit was a first.
It felt like a warped affection that moved between beast and human.
But now that I thought about it, didn’t I bear a bit of responsibility for this incident too?
When the painter Neung Jinsam had hit a wall, it was I who introduced him to beastman paintings and recommended Joo Wolah as his model.
‘A bit of responsibility…? How amus…ing.’
Perhaps because it was a rare moment where I felt guilt, the Salseongi snickered.
This time, I couldn’t even come up with anything to refute it.
When my conscience was pricked, it interfered with properly accumulating good karma.
“So the request I wish to ask of you, Master Dan, has two parts. One is to stop the distribution of the beastman beauty portraits, and the other is to stop this strange person who is obsessed with beasts.”
As for the former—the issue of circulation in the market—she had already sought understanding from Eun Hwaran. However, persuading the painter Neung Jinsam would not be easy, so she asked me for help.
And as for tracking down the stalker… in a way, it was also a seed I had sown. Naturally, I intended to resolve it.
“Just trust me. I’ll take care of both somehow.”
I beat my chest confidently.
Joo Wolah’s eyes sparkled. She leaned slightly forward and lightly placed her hand on my arm.
“Of course. I’ve always trusted you, Master.”
Her touch was warm, and her voice carried a strangely alluring softness. With a face full of trust, she gave a faint, teasing smile.
For a moment, I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
Was that the business charm of a courtesan of Heavenly Flower Pavilion, or was it her natural coquettishness?
At some point, I had stopped being able to distinguish between the two.
“Cough!”
“Ahem!”
Only after hearing my subordinates coughing behind me did I snap back to my senses.
Turning around, I saw two women staring at me as if I were a fool who had been completely bewitched and was ready to hand over everything.
“Th-then let’s start by dealing with Painter Neung Jinsam’s matter first!”
My face felt hot. Their gazes were too sharp to endure any longer.
I quickly stood up and raised my voice to set off.
The address of Painter Neung Jinsam was kindly tracked down by a Beggars’ Union operative on the street.
The place we headed to was a high-end residential district in eastern Beijing where scholars gathered.
His residence, which I visited again after a long time, was truly magnificent.
To think that the beast painter who once worried about starving on the streets had now become the owner of such a grand mansion.
“Wow… you really made it, hyung.”
Seeing it again after so long, I could truly feel the enormity of his success.
I admired the grand gate decorated with thick pillars and blue roof tiles. Above it hung a signboard engraved with the words ‘Beast Painting Soul.’
“Halt. Who goes there? State your identity.”
It seemed he had even hired a gatekeeper now. So many people must have flocked to buy his paintings that the gatekeeper looked slightly irritable.
“Dog-Beating Dragon Dan Mujin. I’ve come to see Painter Neung Jinsam.”
After all, wasn’t I the one who played a major role in helping him achieve this wealth and fame? Naturally, I assumed he would have informed the gatekeeper about me.
“Dan Mujin? Never heard of you. Your name isn’t on the reservation list either. If you wish to see the painter, make a reservation and wait.”
Apparently, the reservations were so backed up that even if I made one now, it would take quite a while before I could see him.
Unbelievable. The simple man who once said he would treat me as a benefactor hadn’t even mentioned my name.
“I’m his closest friend. He promised I could visit anytime.”
When everyone mocked his beast paintings, I was the only one who took them seriously and showed him a new path.
And yet this treatment—almost enough to make me feel a bit betrayed.
“Look here, I told you there’s been no such notice. Stop forcing it. People like you come all the time.”
This wasn’t going anywhere.
I shook my head and then ignited a vivid Fist Qi right in front of his eyes.
A fierce energy that seemed capable of shattering iron gathered before him. The gatekeeper, who had been scolding me, immediately shut his mouth.
“Friend.”
“……”
If I weren’t truly his friend, someone of this level would have already caused trouble.
“O-on second thought… I may have been informed. My mistake.”
As expected, in Murim, strength solved everything.
Claiming his memory had suddenly returned, he quickly stepped aside.
As we stepped into the mansion, we were greeted by a vast garden.
“Wow, it’s like they moved a mountain forest here, Captain.”
“There’s even a small pond. And… there are tons of small animals just roaming around?”
Various animals like rabbits wandered peacefully, nibbling at the greenery.
It was as if he had created his own little zoo.
What a ridiculous display of wealth.
“Wow, Captain, look over there. A fox with such soft fur. It kind of looks like that sly vixen we saw earlier.”
“……”
Who was she talking about? Surely not Joo Wolah.
“Look around here. I’ll go talk things out.”
Since they weren’t particularly close with Neung Jinsam, I told them to explore while I went alone.
“Hyung Neung! It’s me, Dog-Beating Dragon Dan Mujin!”
I knocked on the door as I called out, and soon I heard a clattering noise from inside.
Thud thud—then the door swung open energetically.
“D-Dan Mujin?! My goodness, you! It’s been so long!”
A man burst out, blinking in surprise at my sudden visit.
His messy hair suggested he had just woken up, his hands stained with ink—he still retained that eccentric air from the past.
“Haha! I heard you became successful as a troubleshooter. I thought you’d forgotten me… Come in, come in!”
Fortunately, he welcomed me warmly. It seemed he had simply forgotten to inform the gatekeeper.
Well, he wasn’t the type to be that calculating anyway.
“If I’d known a guest like you was coming, I would’ve cleaned up a bit.”
On one side of the room hung an unfinished beastman painting.
Painter Neung Jinsam was now working in a completely different environment than before.
With expensive inkstones, delicate brushes, and the finest silk, he painted with the full dignity of an artist.
Even his disheveled clothes were made of luxurious fabric.
“Seeing your success makes me happy as well, hyung.”
At my flattering remark, he laughed awkwardly and slapped my shoulder.
“Haha, it’s all thanks to you. Whenever I lost my way, you always opened a new path for me.”
Back when he loved beasts but struggled to make a living, wandering aimlessly—
I had introduced him to the bold concept of beasts walking on two legs and mimicking humans.
And when that wasn’t enough, I even introduced the concept of humans mimicking beasts—beastmen.
That fresh shock and thought-provoking technique stirred quite a response in the painting world. Once it was known to make money, everyone jumped into it.
Thanks to that, these peculiar paintings were now becoming an established artistic style.
In short, the Central Plains painting world had entered the era of beastmen far too early.
“Please leave my name out of history.”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“It’s nothing.”
I shook my head and glanced at one of the paintings he was working on.
On the silk canvas was Joo Wolah, portrayed with a seductive air, grooming herself like a cat with a long black tail swaying behind her.
A truly bold scene of a human imitating a beast.
What observation and expression—no wonder her beauty portraits were selling like wildfire.
“A good painting, isn’t it?”
Noticing where my gaze rested, Neung Jinsam spoke proudly.
“It’s the most popular piece in Beijing right now. I’ve got over twenty orders waiting.”
He was clearly painting and selling like mad. No wonder Joo Wolah had begun to worry.
“Hyung Neung, I came here with one question and one request.”
I sat down and got straight to the point.
“Ah, go ahead. If it’s your request, I’ll grant it.”
With an easygoing smile, he gestured for me to speak.
“Aside from you, is there anyone else deeply obsessed with beasts?”
It was a question thrown to narrow down the suspect.
Though likely more twisted than him.
“Well, of course, there are some among my customers.”
“Among them, anyone who likes beasts… to an excessive degree?”
“I can narrow it down to a few. But none are as extreme as me. Why do you ask?”
“…It seems there’s a beast-obsessed person stalking Joo Wolah. I’m looking for clues.”
At the mention that she was being threatened, his expression turned serious.
He tilted his head in thought—then suddenly flinched.
“W-wait, did you come here suspecting me?!”
“…No.”
To be honest, I had suspected him slightly. But since the Heaven-Slaying Eye remained calm, I dismissed it.
“Cough, I see. That’s good then.”
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
I received a list of those customers he had mentioned.
Hopefully, this would help narrow down the suspect.
“But is that all you came to ask? I thought I’d finally get the chance to repay your great kindness.”
Looks like I chose my friends well. That was quite a satisfying thing to hear.
“I have one more request.”
“Oh? What is it? Go on.”
Now confident that he was no longer a starving painter, he urged me to speak.
“Could you stop distributing the beauty portraits featuring Joo Wolah’s face?”
Even he, who had confidently claimed he would grant anything, stiffened at that request.
“…Why?”
“Because the person involved no longer wishes for them to be drawn.”
The popularity was already overflowing, and now only side effects were piling up.
“No… why? To stop drawing such a beautiful beastman painting…”
“Because it’s creating victims.”
I spoke firmly, explaining about the stalker sending beast ears.
Neung Jinsam let out a deep sigh.
“How could such a thing…”
His face turned pale.
“You’re acting like you’ve always liked people.”
At my remark, he raised his head.
“What do you mean?”
“Back then, you said humans only hurt you, and that you loved beasts. So why are you so obsessed with painting people now?”
He used to be a simple young man, hurt by people and healed by beasts.
“But… people like it. And more importantly, it makes money.”
I pressed on that point.
“You’ve changed because of money. Back then, even if you starved, you insisted on painting beautiful beasts—and even hired us.”
He had been willing to climb dangerous mountains where wild boars and wolves roamed.
That passion had now been replaced by greed.
At my words, he stood up blankly.
He slid open the window and gazed at the distant mountains where birds chirped.
“…Have I really become no different from those money-obsessed painters I swore I’d never be like?”
He nodded, as if realizing something deeply.
His once hunched back straightened.
“Right. I’ve already earned enough to live. From now on, I’ll return to my初心 and walk only the path of beasts!”
Neung Jinsam suddenly declared passionately. The lifeless gloom in his face was gone, replaced with vitality.
Not money, not others—he would now paint only what he truly wanted.
“You’ve made a good decision, hyung.”
Whether this could be called a return to normal… was questionable.
But for now, one of Joo Wolah’s problems had been resolved.
Leaving him behind, seemingly struck by inspiration once more, I stepped outside.
The others approached me immediately.
“Captain, how did it go?”
“He said he’ll only paint beasts from now on.”
In other words, he chose to return to an unprofitable path.
“…Uh, is that a good thing?”
Hard to say.
But since one of Joo Wolah’s worries was resolved, there was no need to dwell on it.
“Let’s move to the next request.”
I urged them along.
The place where Joo Wolah had been staying all day as a courtesan, not even returning home recently—
“To Heavenly Flower Pavilion.”
It was time to head toward the bustling district of Beijing, where the night never slept.